Ic card and ic card operation method

ABSTRACT

An IC card operation system is disclosed which enhances the added values of data stored on IC cards to promote acceptance of the cards. The storage area of each IC card is divided into a private and a public area. The private area accommodates a transport fare value while the public area stores reward points issued by shops. The shop-issued reward points are convertible to a transport fare value. The public area is further divided into a shop-specific point area and a common point area, the shop-specific point area accumulating points shop by shop, the common point area retaining points common to all shops. Each shop accumulates points to both of the shop-specific and common point area. Points are deducted from the common point area for use as a transport fare value. That is, only the points accumulated in the common point area of the IC card are used as transport fares while the points accumulated by individual shops are kept unchanged.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an IC card, an IC card operationsystem, a point issuing apparatus, an adjusting apparatus, a centerapparatus, and a billing apparatus. More particularly, the inventionrelates to an IC card, an IC card operation system, a point issuingapparatus, an adjusting apparatus, a center apparatus, and a billingapparatus whereby reward points are issued for purchases made atspecific shops so that the accumulated points may be converted to anamount payable for transportation fares.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Recent years have seen widespread acceptance of IC cards withstorage areas for accommodating diverse kinds of information written toand read from the suitable areas. One application of such IC cards,taking advantage of their capability for data storage and retrieval,involves recording transport fare values (a sort of electronic money) tothe cards for use by passengers in adjusting bus fares.

[0003] The scheme works as follows: the platform of each bus is equippedwith a fare box device for writing and reading data to and from ICcards. When a passenger of the bus holds up his or her IC card to thefare box device, the device reads a fare value from the card innon-contact fashion and adjusts the passenger's fare by deducting itfrom the retrieved value of the IC card and updating the remaining farevalue.

[0004] When recharging the fare value on the IC card, each user pays anincreased amount to the bus company or like business operator to havethe IC card recharged with a fare value corresponding to the paidamount.

[0005] Every time a passenger gets on and off the vehicle, the fare boxdevice acquires the passenger's ride history data by writing and readingsuch data as the bus stop and the time at which the passenger got on,the bus stop and the time at which the passenger got off, etc., to andfrom the card.

[0006] When passengers have their fares adjusted using IC cards, thereceiving and releasing of passengers to and from the vehicle becomesmore efficient than before. At the same time, the bus company canacquire the ride history data from the passengers' IC cards andstatistically process the obtained data for subsequent use in busoperations.

[0007] In order to adjust passengers' fares using IC cards, the buscompany must introduce an IC card system as an obvious precondition.

[0008] The IC card system, generally expensive, comprises: a fare boxdevice furnished on board each bus; a recharging apparatus set up ateach business office (a machine for recharging fare values on IC cards);and a data processing apparatus that connects these apparatuses onlineor offline for data processing purposes.

[0009] If the recharging apparatuses are run only by the bus company,the cost for installing and maintaining the apparatuses can be perceivedas particularly high from the company's viewpoint. With only a limitednumber of locations available for setting up a small number ofrecharging apparatuses, the passengers who decide to use the IC cardscan be inconvenienced considerably.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcomethe above and other deficiencies of the prior art and to provide an ICcard operation system and related equipment for facilitating theintroduction of an IC card system.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0011] In achieving the foregoing and other objects of the presentinvention and according to (1) thereof, there is provided an IC cardcomprising: an issuer-specific point area for storing cumulative amountsof points issued by point issuers, the issued points being accumulatedin a manner specifying each of the cumulative points for thecorresponding point issuer; a common point area for storing a cumulativeamount of the points issued by the point issuers, the issued pointsbeing accumulated in a manner mingling all point issuers; and a payableamount area for storing a payable amount that may be paid so as toacquire either a product or a service offered by a specific businessoperator.

[0012] According to (2) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardoperation system utilizing an IC card as defined in (1) above, thesystem comprising: a point issuing apparatus for issuing points to bestored into at least one of the issuer-specific point area and thecommon point area; an adjusting apparatus for allowing the businessoperator to adjust an amount to be paid using at least either the pointsaccumulated in the common point area or the payable amount stored in thepayable amount area, wherein the cumulative amount of the points in thecommon point area is convertible into the payable amount at apredetermined rate; and a center apparatus for acquiring the number ofpoints issued by the point issuing apparatus for storage into the commonpoint area, the center apparatus further calculating the amount ofpoints to be adjusted by the point issuers in payment for the businessoperator by use of the acquired number of issued points.

[0013] According to (3) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardoperation program executed by a computer used by an IC card operationsystem utilizing an IC card as defined in (1) above, the IC cardoperation program causing the computer to carry out the steps of:issuing points to be stored into at least one of the issuer-specificpoint area and the common point area in accordance with intentions ofthe point issuers; allowing the business operator to adjust an amount tobe paid using at least either the points accumulated in the common pointarea or the payable amount stored in the payable amount area, whereinthe cumulative amount of the points in the common point area isconvertible into the payable amount at a predetermined rate; andacquiring the number of points issued in the point issuing step forstorage into the common point area, so as to calculate the amount ofpoints to be adjusted by the point issuers in payment for the businessoperator by use of the acquired number of issued points.

[0014] According to (4) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardoperation system as defined in (2) above, wherein the point issuingapparatus further comprises a recharging function for recharging thepayable amount in the payable amount area; and wherein the centerapparatus acquires from the point issuing apparatus the payable amountrecharged by the point issuing apparatus, the center apparatus furthercalculating the recharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by thepoint issuers to the business operator by use of the acquired payableamount.

[0015] According to (5) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardoperation program as defined in (3) above, wherein the point issuingstep further causes the computer to carry out the step of recharging thepayable amount in the payable amount area; and wherein the adjustedpoint amount calculating step further comprises acquiring the payableamount recharged in the point issuing step, so as to calculate therecharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by the point issuers to thebusiness operator by use of the acquired payable amount.

[0016] According to (6) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardoperation system as defined in (4) above, wherein, upon calculating therecharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by the point issuers to thebusiness operator, the center apparatus deducts fees to be provided tothe point issuers from the amount recharged by the point issuers.

[0017] According to (7) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardoperation program as defined in (5) above, further causing the computerto carry out the step of deducting fees to be provided to the pointissuers from the amount recharged by the point issuers when, in theadjusted point amount calculating step, said computer calculates therecharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by the point issuers to thebusiness operator.

[0018] According to (8) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardas defined in (1) above, wherein at least one of the issuer-specificpoint area and the common point area is capable of storing micro-pointseach denoting a value less than one.

[0019] According to (9) of the invention, there is provided an IC cardas defined in (1) above, wherein data are written to and read from theissuer-specific point area, the common point area, and the payableamount area in non-contact fashion.

[0020] According to (10) of the invention., there is provided a pointissuing apparatus for use by an IC card operation system as defined in(2) above, the apparatus comprising: a point issuing element for issuingpoints to be stored into at least one of the issuer-specific point areaand the common point area; an issued point count providing element forproviding the center apparatus with the number of points issued forstorage into the common point area; and an accumulated point presentingelement for acquiring and presenting the cumulative amount of pointsissued by a specific point issuer upon retrieval from theissuer-specific point area.

[0021] According to (11) of the invention, there is provided a pointissuing apparatus as defined in (10) above, further comprising: arecharging element for recharging the payable amount in the payableamount area; and a recharged amount providing element for providing thecenter apparatus with the recharged payable amount.

[0022] According to (12) of the invention, there is provided anadjusting apparatus for use by an IC card operation system as defined in(2) above, the apparatus comprising: a payment amount acquiring elementfor acquiring an amount to be paid; and a converting element forconverting the points accumulated in the common point area into thepayable amount at a predetermined rate; wherein the converting elementacquires the points corresponding to the acquired amount to be paid anddeducts the acquired points from the common point area; and wherein, ifthe payable amount acquired by the converting element falls short of theacquired amount to be paid, then the shortfall is deducted from thepayable amount area in order to adjust the amount to be paid.

[0023] According to (13) of the invention, there is provided a centerapparatus as defined in (2) above, further comprising a presentingelement for calculating a billed amount to be paid by the point issuersto the business operator by use of the number of points issued by thepoint issuing apparatus and the recharged payable amount, the presentingelement further presenting the calculated billed amount to the pointissuers.

[0024] According to (14) of the invention, there is provided a centerapparatus as defined in (13) above, wherein fees to be provided to thepoint issuers upon addition of points by the point issuing apparatus arededucted from the billed amount calculated.

[0025] According to (15) of the invention, there is provided a centerapparatus as defined in (13) above, wherein the adjusting apparatusfurther comprises a history accessing element which, upon gaining accessto a storage area of the IC card when said IC card is used for payment,either writes to or reads from the storage area a history of anyproducts and services purchased from the business operator; and whereinthe center apparatus further comprises a data mining result providingelement for providing the business operator with information resultingfrom data mining of the history acquired by the history accessingelement.

[0026] According to (16) of the invention, there is provided a billingapparatus comprising a recharged amount acquiring element for acquiringfrom an IC card an amount recharged by a recharging apparatus as anaddition to a payable amount stored on the IC card, the payable amountbeing used to acquire either a product or a service; wherein a businessoperator having installed the recharging apparatus is billed for therecharged amount acquired minus fees to be provided to the businessoperator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an ICcard operation system according to the invention;

[0028]FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating how the IC card operationsystem is run, with shops issuing transport fare discount points;

[0029]FIG. 3 is a schematic view depicting how the IC card operationsystem is run, with shops recharging transport fare values;

[0030]FIG. 4 is a schematic view indicating a storage area structure onan IC card of the invention;

[0031]FIG. 5 is a schematic view explaining how a point issuingapparatus of the invention writes transport fare discount points to theIC card;

[0032]FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing how a transport fare for a busor a train run by a transport business operator is adjusted usingtransport fare discount points retrieved from the IC card;

[0033]FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating how a transport fare isadjusted using the IC card where the number of points stored in a pointsum area of the card falls short of the fare;

[0034]FIG. 8 is a schematic view depicting how a transport fare isadjusted using the IC card where the sum total of transport farediscount points and transport fare values stored on the card falls shortof the fare;

[0035]FIG. 9 is a flowchart of steps in which an IC card terminaladjusts a transport fare using the IC card; and

[0036]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing another storage area structureon the IC card of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0037] [Outline of the Embodiments]

[0038] This invention is preferably embodied in such a manner as tofacilitate the introduction of an IC card system by obtaining thecollaboration of municipalities and local businesses such as blocks ofshops.

[0039] The IC card embodying the invention has two storage areas, i.e.,a public and a private area. The public area stores transport farediscount points issued as reward points by local shops and/ormunicipalities (simply called the shop or shops hereunder). The privatearea accommodates a prepaid transport fare value for using transportsuch as the bus or train.

[0040] The public area identifies each of the shops involved and retainsthe number of transport fare discount points issued by each shop.

[0041] Possessing a single IC card thus allows the card holder both tomanage the transport fare discount points issued by a plurality of shopsand to adjust the fare upon using transport.

[0042] The user may expend the transport fare discount points issued byshops to pay the transport fare. After the user has exhausted thetransport fare discount points, the cumulative sum of transport farediscount points issued by each shop is still kept unchanged on the ICcard.

[0043] This means that each shop accepting the IC card of a customer cancheck the sum total of transport fare discount points issued by the shopin question to see how important the customer is for this shop, i.e.,how much the IC card user has so far spent at this establishment.

[0044] If shops are commissioned by a transport business operator torecharge transport fare values on IC cards, customers may have their ICcards recharged at any shop they drop by. In exchange for doing therecharging, the shops are entitled to receive predetermined fees fromthe transport business.

[0045] The private area on the IC card also accommodates a card ID foridentifying the card in question and ride history data detailing thecard user's past uses of transport.

[0046] An IC card operation company operating the IC cards may gatherthe card users' ride history data through the transport businessoperator for analysis and data mining purposes. The IC card operationcompany may further collect data such as transport fare discount pointsissued by the shops for analysis and data mining.

[0047] A reward point system prevalent in blocks of local shops may betaken advantage of in setting up a scheme whereby the reward pointsissued by shops are converted into transport fare values illustrativelyfor riding the bus. When fare value recharging apparatuses are set upwhere appropriate in the blocks of local shops, customers are invited torecharge their transport fare values on their IC cards using therecharging apparatus. The shops may receive predetermined fees inexchange for the fare values recharged at the locally installedrecharging apparatuses. In this manner, the scheme facilitatesintroduction of an IC card system into local communities while promotinglocal commerce and business activities.

[0048] [Details of the Embodiments]

[0049] Preferred embodiments of this invention will now be described indetail with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9.

[0050] In an IC card operation system embodying the invention,participating shops perform two things on the card: issuing transportfare discount points, and recharging transport fare values undercommission from a transport business operator.

[0051]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the ICcard operation system according to the invention. As illustrated, the ICcard operation system roughly comprises IC cards 5, a transport businessoperator 6, an IC card operation company 7, and shops 8, 8, 8, . . . .

[0052] The IC card 5 incorporates an IC chip and an antenna. There areterminals for writing and reading data to and from the IC card 5, eachterminal having a suitably positioned antenna that emits weak radiowaves. Holding up the IC card 5 to the antenna position causes the radiowaves from the terminal to generate an induced electromotive force onthe antenna of the IC card 5. The induced electromotive force drives theIC chip for data read and write operations. The IC chip has a storagemedium that is divided into a plurality of areas for use in differentapplications. For this embodiment of the invention, the storage mediumis divided into two portions called a private area and a public area.

[0053] The IC card is structured approximately as follows: in general,the IC card has its storage area divided into multiple regions for usein different applications. For this embodiment, as mentioned above, thestorage area is divided into the private and public areas. The privatearea is used by an IC card issuer for card management purposes, whilethe public area is utilized by business operators for their specificusages.

[0054] More specifically, the public area has different memory regionsappropriated for different businesses for their specific purposes in theform of proprietary files.

[0055] The private area accommodates such things as information forallowing the IC card issuer to manage these files, key informationspecific to the IC card issuer for use in encryption and decryption, andinformation used by the issuer for other purposes.

[0056] Each business operator gains access to its proprietary file onthe IC card using an access key provided by the IC card issuer. Theaccess key allows each business operator to access its proprietary fileonly; no file is accessible by anyone not in possession of theappropriate access key.

[0057] This card structure enables a single IC card to be utilized by aplurality of business operators for their particular uses with nointerference therebetween.

[0058] With this embodiment of the invention, the private area on the ICcard stores transport fare values and ride records, and the public areaaccommodates transport fare discount points issued by shops. As will bedescribed later in more detail, each shop is assigned a unique issuerID, so that the public area records the issued transport fare discountpoints in correspondence with each issuer ID. This makes it possible toknow which shop has issued how many transport fare discount points.

[0059] The IC card 5 for use with this embodiment is a so-called prepaidcard operating on the SF (stored fare) principle. Specifically, thestorage medium of the IC card is charged with electronic moneyequivalent to a predetermined transport fare value. When usingtransport, the IC card holder adjusts the transport fare by utilizingthe charged electronic money. Although the IC card 5 is assumed tofunction as a non-contact type IC card, this is not limitative of theinvention. Alternatively, the IC card 5 may be a contact type IC cardwith its electrodes coming into contact with a terminal upon data readand write operations. As another alternative, the IC card 5 may be ahybrid type having both a non-contact and a contact type interface.

[0060] The transport business operator 6 is a business operator thatruns transport such as buses and/or trains. The transport businessoperator 6 has a card issuing apparatus 13, a recharging apparatus 14,IC card terminals 15 and 16, and a back-end processing server 12.

[0061] The transporting means run by the transport business operator 6is not limited to buses and trains. The operator 6 may run other meansof transportation including streetcars, taxis, ships and planes.

[0062] The card issuing apparatus 13 is a machine that issues IC cards,commutation tickets, books of coupons, and other tickets. When a userenters a predetermined amount of money into the card issuing apparatus13, the apparatus 13 issues an IC card carrying a correspondingtransport fare value. Each issued IC card is assigned a unique card IDthat distinguishes the card in question from other IC cards issued.

[0063] Although FIG. 1 shows only one card issuing apparatus 13, theremay well be a plurality of issuing apparatuses each provided with aunique card issuing apparatus ID.

[0064] The card issuing apparatus 13 transmits such data as the card IDof each IC card issued, the transport fare value on each ID card, thedate of card issuance, and the card issuing apparatus ID, either onlineor offline to the back-end processing server 12.

[0065] The recharging apparatus 14 is a terminal that recharges the ICcard with a transport fare value. Generally, the recharging apparatus 14comprises an IC card reader/writer, a cash register, and a control unitfor controlling these components. When recharging a transport fare valueon an IC card, a user inputs cash into the recharging apparatus 14 andholds up the IC card to a suitable position of the apparatus such as thereader/writer. For example, when the remaining transport fare value onthe IC card has dropped to ¥500, the user of the card may recharge itwith ¥4,500 using the recharging apparatus 14 to bring the balance to¥5,000.

[0066] Although FIG. 1 shows only one recharging apparatus 14, this isnot limitative of the invention. There may well be a plurality ofrecharging apparatuses each assigned a unique recharging apparatus ID.

[0067] The recharging apparatus 14 transmits such data as the card ID ofeach IC card recharged, the transport fare value recharged on each IDcard, the date of recharging, and the recharging apparatus ID, eitheronline or offline to the back-end processing server 12.

[0068] The IC card terminal 15 writes and reads data to and from the ICcard 5. In operation, the terminal 15 adjusts the transport fare valueand transport fare discount points (together with issuer IDs) on each ICcard, and records or retrieves ride history data to or from the card.

[0069] The IC card terminal 15 comprises: a ROM (read only memory) thatstores programs for adjusting transport fare values and transport farediscount points; a CPU (central processing unit) that performspredetermined processes using the programs in the ROM; a RAM (randomaccess memory) used by the CPU as a working memory during processing; astorage medium drive for writing information to a removable storagemedium; and an antenna for gaining access to the IC card 5. That is, theIC card terminal 15 of this embodiment has the capabilities of an ICcard reader/writer.

[0070] The IC card terminal 15 is typically set up at the platforminside each bus. When getting on or off the bus, each passenger holds uphis or her IC card 5 to the terminal 15. This prompts the programs inthe ROM of the terminal to deduct a transport fare from the transportfare value and transport fare discount points. How transport farediscount points are converted to a transport fare value will bedescribed later.

[0071] When the transport fare is paid through deduction from thetransport fare discount points accumulated on the IC card 5, the IC cardterminal 15 reads both the card ID of the IC card in question and thenumber of points expended.

[0072] The IC card terminal 15 and the back-end processing server 12 areconnected offline. The data read by the IC card terminal 15 from an ICcard 5 are written temporarily to a removable storage medium (e.g., amemory card) by the storage medium drive. And, at the end of thebusiness hours, for example, the storage medium is removed from the ICcard terminal 15 and loaded into the back-end processing server 12. Inturn, the back-end processing server 12 retrieves from the loadedstorage medium the data written thereto by the IC card terminal 15during the day.

[0073] There may be a plurality of IC card terminals 15 each providedwith a unique terminal ID. The terminal ID is also read from the memorycard into the back-end processing server 12 so that the server 12 willrecognize which IC card terminal 15 has collected the data beingcurrently retrieved.

[0074] IC card terminals 16 may be set up illustratively at the ticketgates of train stations. Passengers holding up their IC cards 5 to theIC card terminals 16 can automatically have their fares adjusted uponusing the trains.

[0075] The IC card terminal 16 is functionally identical to the IC cardterminal 15. The difference is that the IC card terminal 16 transmitsthe data read from each IC card 5 to the back-end processing server 12on an online basis.

[0076] There may be a plurality of IC card terminals 16 each assigned aunique terminal ID. This terminal ID, too, is read from the memory cardfor online transmission to the back-end processing server 12 so that theserver 12 may recognize which IC card terminal 16 has collected the databeing currently retrieved.

[0077] The back-end processing server 12 receives data (ride historydata, points expended, etc.) from the card issuing apparatus 13,recharging apparatus 14, and IC card terminals 15 and 16. The receiveddata are stored onto an appropriate storage medium such as a hard disc.

[0078] The back-end processing server 12 has a CPU, a ROM, a RAM and amass storage medium such as a hard disc, as well as a communicationcontrol unit that connects the server 12 to a network. The mass storagemedium contains an OS (operating system), a program for totalingreceived data, a program for generating ride history data based oncollected data, a browser for browsing Web pages provided by a card dataprocessing server 10 of the IC card operation company 7, and otherprograms.

[0079] The Web pages offered by the card data processing server 10display totaled or analyzed data resulting from the data miningconducted by the IC card operation company 7.

[0080] The collected results and ride history data are transmitted bythe back-end processing server 12 to the card data processing server 10.

[0081] When granting permission to a shop 8 to issue points, thetransport business operator 6 assigns a unique issuer ID to that shop 8.The back-end processing server 12 has a shop database that manages thenames, addresses, telephone numbers, and the assigned issuer IDs of theshops taking part in the scheme.

[0082] The issuer IDs held in the shop database are sent from theback-end processing server 12 to the card data processing server 10 overthe Internet 18. Whenever a new issuer ID is assigned to a newlyparticipating shop, that issuer ID is transmitted to the server 10.

[0083] The shops 8, 8, 8, . . . , comprise a liquor shop, a rice dealer,a fish shop, a meat shop, a supermarket, a convenience store, a coffeeshop, and other local shops constituting blocks of shops that sell goodsand wares, as well as service businesses including sports clubs, movietheaters and other establishments offering services. Municipalcorporations such as hospitals and other public facilities may also beincluded. In the description that follows, the shops 8, 8, 8, . . . ,may be simply referred to as the shop or shops 8 where no distinction isneeded therebetween.

[0084] Each shop 8 is equipped with a personal computer (PC) 20 and apoint issuing/recharging apparatus 21 (called the point issuingapparatus hereunder) connected to the PC 20. The PC 20 is installed in amanner connectable to the Internet 18 for data communication with thecard data processing server 10.

[0085] The PC 20 comprises a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a storage medium such asa hard disc, and a communication control unit.

[0086] The storage medium accommodates an OS for running the PC 20;application software such as a point issuing program, a Web browser, anda program for graphic representation of statistical data; and simplerecharging software.

[0087] The point issuing program for control over the point issuingapparatus 21 is used to write points to the IC card 5. This program iscapable of calculating to the second decimal place the number of rewardpoints corresponding to the amount for purchasing products or services.That is, so-called micro-points less than one point (e.g., 0.1 point)can also be handled.

[0088] The Web browser is used to browse dynamically surveyed data thatthe card data processing server 10 offers to each of the participatingshops.

[0089] The program for graphic representation of statistical data isdesigned to present the shops with the dynamically surveyed data offeredby the card data processing server 10, graphically or in an otherwisecomprehensive manner.

[0090] Using the point issuing apparatus 21, each shop 8 can read fromthe IC card 5 the total number of points that it has issued so far.

[0091] When asked by a customer for recharging on his or her IC card 5,the simple recharging software causes the point issuing apparatus 21 torecharge the transport fare value on the card 5. In that sense, thepoint issuing apparatus 21 may function as a simplified rechargingapparatus. The recharging of transport fare values is done on the pointissuing apparatus 21 under commission from the transport businessoperator 6, as will be described later in more detail. This allows usersto freely recharge transport fare values on their IC cards 5 wheneverthey drop by a shop; there is no need for them to go all the way to theoffices of the transport business operator 6 for recharging.

[0092] The point issuing apparatus 21 is a machine that writes and readsdata to and from the IC card 5, thereby rewriting transport farediscount points and transport fare values on the card. That means thepoint issuing apparatus 21 of this invention has at least thecapabilities of an ordinary IC card reader/writer. Each shop eitherpurchases or leases the point issuing apparatus 21 from the IC cardoperation company. Expensive if purchased, the point issuing apparatus21 may be leased at low cost so as to reduce the burdens on the shops 8.

[0093] When transport fare discount points are issued onto an IC card,the PC 20 transmits to the card data processing server 10 the card ID ofthe IC card in question and the issued number of transport fare discountpoints together with the issuer ID. When a transport fare value isrecharged on an IC card, the PC 20 sends to the card data processingserver 10 the card ID of the card in question and the transport farevalue data (i.e., amount of the recharged transport fare value) alongwith the issuer ID.

[0094] The PC 20 is billed by the card data processing server 10 for thetransport fare discount points and the recharged transport fare values.

[0095] Because the points issued by the shops 8 are usable as the users'transport fares, the card data processing server 10 turns the issuedpoints into the corresponding transport fares and bills the shops 8 forthe fares. The shops 8 pay the transport business operator 6 the billedtransport fare discount points-turned-fares and the recharged transportfare values.

[0096] Based on the information acquired from the transport businessoperator 6 and shops 8, the IC card operation company 7 managestransport fare discount points and transport fare values, extractsuseful data from the acquired information in what is known as datamining, and provides such data to the transport business operator 6 andshops 8.

[0097] The IC card operation company 7 has the card data processingserver 10 that is connectable to the back-end processing server 12 ofthe transport business operator 6 and to the PCs 20 of the shops 8 overthe Internet 18.

[0098] The card data processing server 10 adjusts data on the number oftransport fare discount points issued by each shop 8 and the transportfare values recharged also by each shop 8 in order to calculate theamounts billed to the shops 8. The calculated amounts are transmittedfrom the card data processing server 10 to the PCs 20 over the Internet18.

[0099] The card data processing server 10 extracts useful data from theride history data obtained from the back-end processing server 12 andfrom the transport fare discount point data acquired from the PCs 20during so-called data mining, and provides the transport businessoperator 6 and shops 8 with such useful data. Also acting as a Webserver, the card data processing server 10 offers the results of thedata mining through its Web pages to the transport business operator 6and shops 8.

[0100] The transport business operator 6 and shops 8 can each browse theWeb pages using a suitable terminal connectable to the Internet 18.Browsing the pages involves first logging on to the card data processingserver 10 by use of a user ID and a password unique to the transportbusiness operator 6 and to each shop 8.

[0101] The specifics of data mining will be described later in moredetail.

[0102]FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating how the IC card operationsystem 1 is run, with the shops 8 issuing transport fare discountpoints. FIG. 2 summarizes the following steps:

[0103] (1) A shop 8 asks the transport business operator 6 forpermission to issue transport fare discount points.

[0104] (2) The transport business operator 6 assigns an issuer ID to theshop 8 and informs simultaneously the IC card operation company 7 ofinformation about the issuer ID.

[0105] (3) The shop 8 purchases or leases the point issuing apparatus 21from the IC card operation company 7 under commission from the transportbusiness operator 6.

[0106] (4) In proportion to the amount of purchase by each customer, theshop 8 writes transport fare discount points to his or her IC card 5using the point issuing apparatus 21.

[0107] (5) The shop 8 periodically transmits the issued point data fromthe PC 20 to the IC card operation company 7 over the Internet 18.

[0108] (6) The user of the IC card 5 may use transport (bus, train,etc.) run by the transport business operator 6 by utilizing thetransport fare discount points recharged on the IC card 5. At thispoint, the IC card terminal 15 or 16 converts the transport farediscount points on the ID card together with the issuer ID into atransport fare value.

[0109] (7) The transport fare discount points expended on the IC cardterminal 15 or 16 are transmitted from the back-end processing server 12to the card data processing server 10 over the Internet 18.

[0110] (8) At the end of the month, the IC card operation company 7collects from the PC 20 of each shop the transport fare discount pointsissued during the month and converts the collected points into atransport fare that is billed to the shop 8 together with fees.

[0111] (9) The shop 8 pays into the account of the transport businessoperator 6 the amount of the fare billed by the IC cared operationcompany 7.

[0112] Where the IC card operation system 1 is run in the mannerdescribed above, customers can use the means of transportation run bythe transport business operator 6 by exploiting the transport farediscount points on their IC cards issued upon purchase at the shops 8.

[0113] The IC card operation company 7 may compare the transport farediscount points expended on the transport with the total number oftransport fare discount points issued by the shops 8, to see at whatrate the issued transport fare discount points have been consumed.

[0114] As will be explained later, after the transport fare discountpoints accumulated from the shops 8 are expended as transport fares, thecumulative sum of points issued by each shop 8 is still retained. Theshop-specific cumulative sums of points on the IC cards 5 allow theshops 8 to offer other discounts on the purchases of products or on theuse of services at facilities.

[0115]FIG. 3 is a schematic view depicting how the IC card operationsystem 1 is run, with the shops 8 recharging transport fare values. FIG.3 summarizes the following steps:

[0116] (10) The transport business operator 6 commissions a shop 8 torecharge transport fare values and assigns an issuer ID to that shop 8.If the shop 8 has already been assigned an issuer ID for issuingtransport fare discount points, this issuer ID is appropriated for thepurpose. The transport business operator 6 informs the IC card operationcompany 7 of the issuer ID given to the shop 8.

[0117] (11) Upon request by a customer, the shop 8 using the pointissuing apparatus 21 recharges a transport fare value together with theissuer ID on the customer's ID card 5. The recharging may be done singlyas requested by the customer, or in the form of an additional transportfare value corresponding to the change that is not returned by requestto the customer upon purchase at the shop 8.

[0118] (12) The shop 8 periodically transmits the recharged transportfare value together with the issuer ID from the PC 20 to the card dataprocessing server 10 over the Internet 18.

[0119] (13) The IC card operation company 7 bills the shop 8 for therecharged transport fare value minus recharging fees. If the shop 8 isbilled for the transport fare that was converted from the transport farediscount points in step (8) above, that amount is also included in thebilling.

[0120] (14) The shop 8 pays into the account of the transport businessoperator 6 the amount of the fare billed by the IC card operationcompany 7.

[0121] When the shops 8 are commissioned to recharge transport farevalues as described above, the transport business operator 6 can reducethe number of recharging apparatuses that must be set up solely at itsown expense. The shops 8 gain recharging fees and can expect to improvetheir cash flows. The customers can recharge their transport fare valueson their IC cards at local shops without taking the trouble to go to theoffices of the transport business operator 6.

[0122] The IC card operation company 7 may utilize the ride history dataobtained in step (7) above as dynamically surveyed data about transportusers. Such data can be used for diverse purposes by different parties:by the transport business operator 6 as basic data for optimizing busand train services; by the shops 8 as basic data for grasping thecustomers' spending propensities; and by municipalities as basic datafor increasing the transparency in furnishing the transport businessoperator 6 with welfare subsidies appropriated for the elderly and otherspecific groups of people.

[0123]FIG. 4 is a schematic view indicating a typical structure of astorage area 30 on the IC card 5 of this invention. The storage area 30is bisected into a private area 31 and a public area 32, the privatearea 31 retaining a transport fare value, the public area 32accommodating transport fare discount points.

[0124] The private area 31 is made up of two areas: a transport farevalue area 35 for storing transport fare values on an issuer-by-issuerbasis, and a transport fare value sum area 37 for retaining the sum oftransport fare values. The transport fare value area 35 accommodatestransport fare values together with issuer IDs. This embodiment has theissuer ID of the transport business operator 6 set to 00, the issuer IDsof the shops 8 to 01 through 03, and the ID of the transport fare valuesum area 37 to 1F. However, this is not limitative of the invention;there are no constraints on specific values, number of digits, etc.,about the IDs to be used. The transport fare value area 35 serves as apayable amount area accommodating an amount that is payable as transportfares.

[0125] The issuer IDs of shops 8 are limited to 01 through 03 in thearea 35 of this embodiment only for purpose of simplification andillustration. In practice, the area 35 retains the issuer IDs of allshops 8 at which the IC card 5 in question has been recharged withtransport fare values.

[0126] If an IC card 5 is to be recharged with a transport fare valuefor the first time at a given shop 8, the ID of that shop 8 has not beenrecorded yet in the private area 31 of the IC card 5 in question. Insuch a case, the point issuing apparatus 21 of the shop 8 generateswithin the private area 31 a new region where the transport fare valueis to be recorded in correspondence with the ID of the shop 8 inquestion.

[0127] The public area 32 is constituted by two areas: a transport farediscount point area 34 for storing transport fare discount points on anissuer-by-issuer basis, and a point sum area 36 that retains acumulative sum of points. The transport fare discount points arerecorded together with the corresponding issuer IDs in the transportfare discount point area 34. Although this embodiment has the IDs of theshops 8 set to 2A through 2D and the ID of the point sum area 36 to 4F,this is not limitative of the invention; there are no constraints onspecific values, number of digits, etc., about the IDs to be used.So-called micro-points down to the second decimal place may beaccumulated in the point sum area 36.

[0128] The transport fare discount point area 34 constitutes anissuer-specific point area that accommodates the cumulative sum ofpoints issued by each shop 8 (i.e., point issuer) on a shop-by-shopbasis. The point sum area 36 serves as a common point area thataccumulates the issued points regardless of the identities of the shops8.

[0129] The IDs of the shops 8 are limited to 2A through 2D in the area34 of this embodiment only for purpose of simplification andillustration. In practice, the area 34 retains the IDs of all shops 8 atwhich the IC card 5 in question has been issued with points.

[0130] If an IC card 5 is to be issued with points for the first time ata given shop 8, the ID of that shop 8 has not been recorded yet in thepublic area 32 of the IC card 5 in question. In that case, the pointissuing apparatus 21 of the shop 8 generates within the public area 32 anew region where transport fare discount points are to be recorded incorrespondence with the ID of the shop 8 in question.

[0131] Described below with reference to FIGS. 5 through 8 is howtransport fare discount points are written to the IC card 5, along withrelated topics.

[0132]FIG. 5 is a schematic view explaining how the point issuingapparatus 21 of the invention writes transport fare discount points tothe IC card 5.

[0133] It is assumed that the shop 8 with the issuer ID of 2A counts asone point one percent of the amount of purchases made by any customer.

[0134] If a customer has made a purchase worth ¥2,000, then the pointissuing apparatus 21 adds 20 points, i.e., one percent of the purchase,cumulatively to a region identified as 2A in the transport fare discountpoint area while adding the same 20 points to the point sum area 36simultaneously.

[0135] That is, the point issuing apparatus 21 adds points of apredetermined percent of purchases made at a shop to both the transportfare discount point area and the point sum area 36 on the IC card 5, andthe transport fare discount point area accommodates the added points ina specific region identified by the ID of the shop in question.

[0136]FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing how a transport fare for a busor a train run by the transport business operator 6 is adjusted usingtransport fare discount points retrieved from the IC card 5.

[0137] When a passenger boarding a bus or a train adjusts the transportfare using the IC card 5, the IC card terminal 15 or 16 deducts thepoints corresponding to the fare from the point sum area 36 of thepublic area 32. In such a case, the IC card terminal 15 or 16 neverdeducts points from the transport fare discount point area 34.

[0138] Illustratively, the points issued by each shop 8 may be convertedto transport fares on a yen-per-point basis. The same point-to-yenconversion rate is applied to all participating shops 8.

[0139] When a passenger using transport is to adjust a fare of ¥100using the IC card 5, the IC card terminal 15 or 16 deducts 100 pointsfrom the point sum area 36. Nothing is added to or subtracted from thetransport fare discount points in the transport fare discount point area34.

[0140] As described, transport fare discount points are expended onlyfrom the point sum area 36. The cumulative sum of transport farediscount points per shop 8 are kept unchanged on the IC card 5. The ICcard 5 thus allows the accumulated transport fare discount points to beconsumed while keeping intact the cumulative sum of transport farediscount points per shop 8.

[0141]FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating how a transport fare isadjusted using the IC card 5 where the number of points stored in thepoint sum area 36 of the card falls short of the fare.

[0142] If an attempt to deduct the sum of transport fare discount pointsfrom the transport fare fails because of a point shortfall, then the ICcard terminal 15 or 16 deducts the entire transport fare from the farevalue held in the private area 31.

[0143] Specifically, the IC card terminal 15 or 16 deducts the transportfare from both the region identified as 00 (i.e., area in which thetransport fare value is recharged by the transport business operator 6)and the region identified as 1F (i.e., area in which the sum oftransport fare values is stored). If the transport fare value in theregion 00 falls short of the fare, then the shortfall is deducted fromthe fare value held in the region 01.

[0144] If the transport fare value in the region 01 falls short of thefare, then the shortfall is deducted from the fare value contained inthe region identified as 02. The deduction is repeated until thetransport fare is paid in full.

[0145] Alternatively, where the sum of transport fare discount points isinsufficient to pay the transport fare, all accumulated transport farediscount points may be expended first. Any shortfall that may result maythen be deducted from the transport fare value accumulated in theprivate area 31.

[0146]FIG. 8 is a schematic view depicting how a transport fare isadjusted using the IC card 5 where the sum total of transport farediscount points and transport fare values stored on the card 5 fallsshort of the fare.

[0147] If an attempt to deduct the sum of transport fare discount pointsand transport fare values from the fare fails because of a pointshortfall, then the IC card terminal 15 writes that shortfall as anegative value to the regions identified as 00 and 1F provided apredetermined ceiling is not exceeded. At the next recharging, thetransport fare value is replenished so as to cover the negative value.

[0148] Suppose that an attempt by a passenger to adjust the transportfare by use of his or her IC card 5 fails because the retained value onthe card falls short of the actual fare by ¥1,000.

[0149] In that case, the IC card terminal 15 or 16 writes a deficit of¥1,000 to the regions identified as 00 and 1F. When the passenger laterrecharges the transport fare value by ¥3,000 on the recharging apparatus14, the actual transport fare value written to the regions 00 and 1F is¥2,000 each.

[0150] Alternatively, a deposit may be set aside in advance. Anydeficiency may be deducted from that deposit instead of having a minusvalue written to the IC card 5.

[0151] In this case, the user of an IC card 5 purchases the card thatcovers the deposit as well. Any amount short of the transport fare isdeducted from the deposit. The deductions are replenished when thetransport fare value is later recharged. The deposit will be returned tothe user when the IC card is eventually surrendered.

[0152]FIG. 9 is a flowchart of steps in which the IC card terminal 15adjusts a transport fare using the IC card 5. The IC terminal 16operates in the same manner as the IC terminal 15.

[0153] When a passenger adjusts the fare of a bus or a train using theIC card 5, the IC card terminal 15 reads from the card 5 datadesignating the section the passenger has traveled and calculates thefare corresponding to that section (in step S10).

[0154] The IC card terminal 15 then gain access to the storage area 30of the IC card 5, acquires the total transport fare value from thetransport fare value sum area 37, and obtains the sum of transport farediscount points from the point sum area 36. The IC card terminal 15converts the sum of transport fare discount points to a transport farevalue at a predetermined rate, and adds the converted value to thepreviously acquired fare value so as to find the total transport farevalue retained on the IC card 5.

[0155] The IC card terminal 15 then compares the total value with thetransport fare (in step S15).

[0156] If the total transport fare value is judged to be smaller thanthe transport fare (“No” in step S15), then the IC card terminal 15expends the total value on the transport fare and records the shortfallas a negative value to the regions identified as 00 and 1F (in stepS50).

[0157] If the total transport fare value is judged to be larger than thetransport fare (“Yes” in step S15), then the IC card terminal 15 judges(in step S20) whether the fare is smaller than an amount converted fromthe sum of transport fare discount points held in the area identified as4F (in the point sum area 36).

[0158] If the amount converted from the sum of transport fare discountpoints is judged to be larger than the transport fare (“Yes” in stepS20), then the IC card terminal 15 deducts the points equivalent to thefare from the region 4F for adjustment (in step S25).

[0159] If the amount converted from the sum of transport fare discountpoints is judged to be smaller than the transport fare (“No” in stepS20), then the IC card terminal 15 determines whether the actualtransport fare is smaller than the fare value held in the region 00 (instep S30).

[0160] If the transport fare value retained in the region 00 is judgedto be larger than the transport fare (“Yes” in step S30), the IC cardterminal 15 deducts the transport fare value equivalent to the actualfare from the regions 00 and 1F each (in step S35).

[0161] If the transport fare value stored in the region 00 is judged tobe smaller than the actual transport fare, the IC card terminal 15expends first the fare value held in the region 00 on the transport fareand then the fare value retained in the region 01 to make up for theshortfall (step S40).

[0162] The IC card 15 then determines whether the whole transport farehas been adjusted using the transport fare value (in step S45). If thereis a deficit (“No” in step S45), the IC card terminal 15 attempts tocompensate for it using a transport fare value held in a regionidentified by the next ID number. Steps S40 and S45 are repeated untilthe fare is adjusted.

[0163] When the fare has been adjusted and paid for (“Yes” in step S45),the IC card terminal 15 substitutes the adjusted transport fare valuefor the current value in the transport fare value area 35, and deductsthe fare from the transport fare value retained in the region identifiedas 1F (in the transport fare value sum area 37).

[0164] Described below is how data mining is carried out using ridehistory data. First, ride history data are gathered as follows:

[0165] The private area 31 on the IC card 5 accommodates not onlytransport fare values but also other data such as ride history data.

[0166] The ride history data may illustratively include a card ID, aspecial card ID (for the aged, for the disabled, for small children,etc.), the IDs of the stops or stations at which the passenger using theIC card 5 got on board, the times of day at which the passenger got onboard, the IDs of the stops or stations at which the passenger got off,the times of day at which the passenger got off, and so on.

[0167] Such data are retrieved by the IC card terminals 15 and 16. Theretrieved data are transmitted from the back-end processing server 12 tothe card data processing server 10 over the Internet 18.

[0168] The IC card operation company 7 adds up and analyzes the ridehistory data thus collected so as to carry out dynamic surveys.

[0169] Specifically, dynamic surveys involve statistically processingdata about how many and what category of passengers started using thetransport from which stops or stations and got off the transport atwhich stops or stations.

[0170] Parameters of the statistical processing may typically includeperiods of time surveyed, times of day and days of the week at which thepassengers used the transport, stops or stations at which the passengersgot on board the transport and got off, the number of passengersinvolved, average travel times (distances), number of passengers withspecial IC cards (e.g., welfare pass cards for the elderly), and cardIDs. It should be noted that the card IDs are surveyed only withexplicit permission granted by the passengers.

[0171] The results of the dynamic surveys may be utilized by thetransport business operator 6, local shops, and municipalities asfollows:

[0172] By grasping the flow and ebb of passengers on different days ofthe week and in different time zones of the day along different sectionsof travel, the transport business operator can optimize management ofits transport services. This in turn is expected to improve conveniencefor the passengers and enhance efficiency in transport operation.Knowing the locations, time zones, and days of the week in and on whichthe passengers tend to concentrate serves the transport businessoperator 6 as an important basis for dynamically working out itsmarketing strategy (e.g., for setting up new shops, for residentialdevelopment).

[0173] The local shops can optimize their inventories of perishableproducts (perishable foods, unbaked sweets, packed lunches, etc.) uponrecognizing the locations, time zones, and days of the week in and onwhich the passengers are supposed to concentrate. Better optimizationcan be expected if the surveyed results are combined with weatherforecast data.

[0174] Knowing the exact locations where people concentrate affords someshops a viable rule of thumb by which to select suitable sites forestablishing their branches.

[0175] For real estate agents involved especially in theapartment-rental market and residential development, the dynamic surveysabove provide exact travel times from specific properties to specificdestinations. The data are valuable in presenting prospective customerswith promising properties for rent or for pursuing successfulresidential development in particular localities.

[0176] Thanks to the dynamic surveys, municipalities are able todetermine what has actually come out of the municipal subsidies for theelderly and the disabled to use public transport. The surveys providebasic data for allowing the authorities to budget the subsidies for thenext fiscal year.

[0177] The dynamic surveys above offer exact, up-to-date information onpeople's movements at low cost, i.e., without conducting labor-intensivetraffic flow surveys. The data can be referenced by the municipalitiesin working out traffic-related policies.

[0178] The data may be further utilized as a basis for deciding on sitesat which to build public facilities in the future.

[0179] What follows is a description of how the so-called data mining iscarried out based on transport fare discount points. The data on theissued transport fare discount points are sent from the PCs 20 of theshops 8 (local shops as well as municipalities) to the card dataprocessing server 10 over the Internet 18.

[0180] The discount points issued by the local shops and municipalities(i.e., by public facilities) may be analyzed in user-specific fashionand translated into what is known as a loyalty program (for gaining morerepeaters for purchasing goods or services). From a privacy protectionpoint of view, permission to utilize user IDs, card IDs and otherinformation identifying those holding the cards must be obtained inadvance from the IC card holders.

[0181] Parameters used in these analyses may typically include the timesof day, days of the week, months, and years at and in which the pointswere issued; point issuer IDs; and card IDs.

[0182] The analyzed data about the individual shops and publicfacilities may be employed in the manner described below.

[0183] It should be noted that the data are handled as personal data andwill not be disclosed to any third party.

[0184] From the viewpoint of each shop, the larger the number oftransport fare discount points that a customer accumulated over a givenperiod or the larger the number of times the customer was issued withdiscount points, the more important that customer is for the shop inquestion. These customers may be offered such incentives as preferentialinvitations to events, fairs, etc., and greater discounts on subsequentpurchases, whereby the favored customers may be retained for continuedpatronage.

[0185] From the viewpoint of a public facility, the higher the frequencywith which a user was issued with transport fare discount points over agiven period, the more likely the user will become a repeater for usingthe facility in question. These users may be offered incentives such aspreferential invitations to events and greater discounts on the facilityuse fees, whereby the favored users may be retained for repeated usageof the facility.

[0186] The inventive IC card operation system 1 discussed above providesthe following major advantages:

[0187] (1) Advantages for the Users of IC Cards 5

[0188] When using the IC cards 5, customers making purchases at theshops 8 get discounts on the fares of the transport run by the transportbusiness operator 6. The customers dropping by the shops 8 can rechargetransport fare values at nearby locations without taking the trouble togo to the offices of the transport business operator 6. In proportion tothe number of reward points accumulated on their cards, the customerscan also get discounts on their purchases at the shops 8.

[0189] The IC card holders get on and off the transport smoothly so thatcrowdedness on board as well as traffic congestion as a whole can beeased.

[0190] Furthermore, using the IC cards allows the elderly to adjusttheir fares in barrier-free fashion.

[0191] The IC cards also afford their holders smooth transfers betweenbuses and trains or between other means of transportation.

[0192] (2) Advantages for the Transport Business Operator

[0193] Widespread use of the IC cards enhances convenience forpassengers and contributes to boosting ridership. On the bus, the driveris spared the chores of collecting fares in small change from thepassengers.

[0194] The IC card 5 costs less than magnetic cards to maintain. Dynamicsurveys conducted by means of the IC cards help the transport businessoperator to optimize transport service management. By cooperating withthe local shops and/or municipalities in running the IC card system, thetransport business operator can expect to gain more people using thetransport.

[0195] The cooperation helps reduce the cost of setting up the back-endprocessing system, which translates into more discounts on transportfares.

[0196] In keeping with the number of transport fare discount pointsissued by the shops, the transport business operator receivescompensation from the shops regardless of whether the discount pointshave actually been converted to fare values. This means that the faresare paid before the IC card holders use the transport, which improvesthe business operator's cash flows.

[0197] Since the IC card 5 has its storage area divided into a pluralityof portions for use with multiple applications, the card system can bereadily expanded for future applications.

[0198] (3) Advantages for the Local Shops and Municipalities

[0199] Offering reward points to customers allows the local shops togain more customers. The shops can also obtain dynamically surveyed dataon their customers thanks to the IC card system.

[0200] With the IC card system in place, municipalities can expect tosee a smaller number of privately owned cars clogging the roads, so thattraffic congestion is relieved and environmental protection promoted.

[0201] Issuing reward points helps increase the number of publicfacility users. The dynamically surveyed data allow the authorities towork out more effective traffic-related policies and to budgettraffic-related subsidies in a more transparent, credible manner.

[0202] (4) Advantages for the IC Card Operation Company 7

[0203] Offering the IC card operation service brings fees and relatedrevenues to the IC card operation company 7. Its data mining businessallows the company 7 to offer the dynamically surveyed data profitablyto its clients.

[0204] That is, with the card data processing server 10 run as a Webserver through which the dynamically surveyed data are provided to theclients, the IC card operation company 7 can operate as an ASP(application service provider).

[0205] Furthermore, the company 7 can sell or lease the point issuingapparatuses 21 profitably to the participating local shops andmunicipalities.

[0206] With this embodiment of the invention, reward points issued byeach shop 8 are recorded to the IC card 5. These points are converted todiscounts that apply commonly to transport fares without interfering inthe customer loyalty program of each shop 8, i.e., the original purposeof the reward point system.

[0207] Although this embodiment was shown allowing transport fare valuesto be recharged on the IC card 5 for using the transport run by thetransport business operator 6, this is not limitative of the invention.Alternatively, the recharged values may be used for any other purpose.

[0208] For example, the recharged values may be expended on movietheater admission fees, telephone charges (of public telephones), giftcertificates of a specific department store, and dinner coupons of aparticular restaurant chain.

[0209] With this embodiment, the shops 8 issue the same number of pointsto be written to both the transport fare discount point area 34 and thepoint sum area 36. Alternatively, each shop may issue different numbersof points to be recorded to the areas 34 and 36.

[0210] Although this embodiment was shown having the local shops issuetransport fare discount points as reward points, this is not limitativeof the invention. Alternatively, the reward points may be converted tosomething other than the transport fare values. In other words, anyother known discount points may be converted to transport fare values.There are no constraints on the uses of issued reward points.

[0211] (Variation of the Invention)

[0212] A variation of this invention involves adding a telephonebusiness operator to the IC card operation system 1. In the descriptionthat follows, like reference numerals used in the above-describedembodiment designate like or corresponding entities of this variation.

[0213]FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing an alternative structure of astorage area 50 on the IC card of the invention.

[0214] A private area within the storage area 50 is bisected into atransport fare value area 51 for accommodating transport fare values anda telephone charge value area 52 for retaining telephone charge values.

[0215] The transport fare value area 51 is structurally and functionallyidentical to the private area 31 shown in FIG. 4.

[0216] The telephone charge value area 52 contains telephone chargevalues that are recharged for use on IC card-compatible publictelephones. A region identified as 11 in the area 52 stores a telephonecharge value recharged by the telephone business operator. Regionsidentified as 01 through 03 each accommodate a telephone charge valuethat the IC card operation company 7 assigns to each shop 8 undercommission from the telephone business operator. In FIG. 10, the shops 8commissioned to recharge transport fare values are the same as thosecommission to recharge telephone charge values (i.e., shops with IDs 01through 03). Alternatively, the shops dealing with transport fare valuesmay be different from those handling telephone charge values.

[0217] A region identified as 1E in the area 52 stores the sum oftelephone charge values.

[0218] A transport fare discount point area 53 accommodates cumulativesums of transport fare discount points issued by the shops 8, inconjunction with their IDs. A region identified as 4E in the area 53holds the sum of discount points that are converted to a telephonecharge value when expended; a region identified as 4F in the area 53retains the sum of discount points that are converted to a transportfare value when consumed.

[0219] When a shop 8 issues discount points using its point issuingapparatus 21, these points are added to the number of discount points inthe region identified by the ID of that shop. At the same time, theregion 4E is replenished by 10 percent of the number of issued points(for use as a telephone charge value), and the region 4F is given 90percent of the number of issued points (for use as a transport farevalue). The above ratio of apportioning discount points between theareas 4E and 4F is a default setting which may be altered as requestedby the IC card holder upon issuance of discount points.

[0220] The discount points accumulated in the region 4F are converted totransport fare values in the same manner as with the above-describedembodiment.

[0221] The discount points accumulated in the region 4E are converted toa telephone charge value in the same manner as in conversion totransport fare values. That is, when the IC card holder places a callusing the IC card on an IC card-compatible public telephone, the publictelephone converts the discount points held in the region 4E to atelephone charge value at a predetermined rate before expending theconverted value. In this case, the public telephone updates only thenumber of discount points held in the region 4E and leaves intact thenumber of discount points accumulated by each of the shops 8 involved.

[0222] When the discount points held in the region 4E have beenexhausted (i.e., reduced to zero), the public telephone adjusts thetelephone charges by successively expending values first from the region11 and then from the region 01, and so on.

[0223] As described, this variation of the invention involves dividingthe above-mentioned storage area 30 of the IC card 5 in such a mannerthat the discount points issued by the shops 8 may be used both astransport fare values and as telephone charge values.

[0224] Although this variation of the invention was shown having the ICcard 5 carry both transport fare values and telephone charge values,this is not limitative of the invention. Alternatively, other kinds ofvalues may be retained on the IC card 5.

[0225] As another alternative, the storage area 30 of the IC card 5 maybe divided into more than two areas so as to accommodate more than twokinds of values.

[0226] Implementing this invention provides an IC card, an IC cardoperation system, a point issuing apparatus, an adjusting apparatus, acenter apparatus, and a billing apparatus whereby data held on the ICcard are enhanced in value so as to promote widespread use of an IC cardscheme.

1. An IC card comprising: an issuer-specific point area for storingcumulative amounts of points issued by point issuers, the issued pointsbeing accumulated in a manner specifying each of said cumulative pointsfor the corresponding point issuer; a common point area for storing acumulative amount of said points issued by said point issuers, theissued points being accumulated in a manner mingling all point issuers;and a payable amount area for storing a payable amount that may be paidso as to acquire either a product or a service offered by a specificbusiness operator.
 2. An IC card operation system utilizing an IC cardaccording to claim 1, the system comprising: a point issuing apparatusfor issuing points to be stored into at least one of saidissuer-specific point area and said common point area; an adjustingapparatus for allowing said business operator to adjust an amount to bepaid using at least either said points accumulated in said common pointarea or said payable amount stored in said payable amount area, whereinsaid cumulative amount of said points in said common point area isconvertible into said payable amount at a predetermined rate; and acenter apparatus for acquiring the number of points issued by said pointissuing apparatus for storage into said common point area, said centerapparatus further calculating the amount of points to be adjusted bysaid point issuers in payment for said business operator by use of theacquired number of issued points.
 3. An IC card operation programexecuted by a computer used by an IC card operation system utilizing anIC card according to claim 1, said IC card operation program causingsaid computer to carry out the steps of: issuing points to be storedinto at least one of said issuer-specific point area and said commonpoint area in accordance with intentions of said point issuers; allowingsaid business operator to adjust an amount to be paid using at leasteither said points accumulated in said common point area or said payableamount stored in said payable amount area, wherein said cumulativeamount of said points in said common point area is convertible into saidpayable amount at a predetermined rate; and acquiring the number ofpoints issued in said point issuing step for storage into said commonpoint area, so as to calculate the amount of points to be adjusted bysaid point issuers in payment for said business operator by use of theacquired number of issued points.
 4. An IC card operation systemaccording to claim 2, wherein said point issuing apparatus furthercomprises a recharging function for recharging said payable amount insaid payable amount area; and wherein said center apparatus acquiresfrom said point issuing apparatus the payable amount recharged by saidpoint issuing apparatus, said center apparatus further calculating therecharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by said point issuers tosaid business operator by use of the acquired payable amount.
 5. An ICcard operation program according to claim 3, wherein the point issuingstep further causes said computer to carry out the step of rechargingsaid payable amount in said payable amount area; and wherein theadjusted point amount calculating step further comprises acquiring thepayable amount recharged in the point issuing step, so as to calculatethe recharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by said point issuersto said business operator by use of the acquired payable amount.
 6. AnIC card operation system according to claim 4, wherein, upon calculatingthe recharged payable amount adjusted to be paid by said point issuersto said business operator, said center apparatus deducts fees to beprovided to said point issuers from the amount recharged by said pointissuers.
 7. An IC card operation program according to claim 5, furthercausing said computer to carry out the step of deducting fees to beprovided to said point issuers from the amount recharged by said pointissuers when, in the adjusted point amount calculating step, saidcomputer calculates the recharged payable amount adjusted to be paid bysaid point issuers to said business operator.
 8. An IC card according toclaim 1, wherein at least one of said issuer-specific point area andsaid common point area is capable of storing micro-points each denotinga value less than one.
 9. An IC card according to claim 1, wherein dataare written to and read from said issuer-specific point area, saidcommon point area, and said payable amount area in non-contact fashion.10. A point issuing apparatus for use by an IC card operation systemaccording to claim 2, the apparatus comprising: point issuing means forissuing points to be stored into at least one of said issuer-specificpoint area and said common point area; issued point count providingmeans for providing said center apparatus with the number of pointsissued for storage into said common point area; and accumulated pointpresenting means for acquiring and presenting the cumulative amount ofpoints issued by a specific point issuer upon retrieval from saidissuer-specific point area.
 11. A point issuing apparatus according toclaim 10, further comprising: recharging means for recharging saidpayable amount in said payable amount area; and recharged amountproviding means for providing said center apparatus with the rechargedpayable amount.
 12. An adjusting apparatus for use by an IC cardoperation system according to claim 2, the apparatus comprising: paymentamount acquiring means for acquiring an amount to be paid; andconverting means for converting the points accumulated in said commonpoint area into said payable amount at a predetermined rate; whereinsaid converting means acquires the points corresponding to the acquiredamount to be paid and deducts the acquired points from said common pointarea; and wherein, if the payable amount acquired by said convertingmeans falls short of the acquired amount to be paid, then the shortfallis deducted from said payable amount area in order to adjust said amountto be paid.
 13. A center apparatus according to claim 2, furthercomprising presenting means for calculating a billed amount to be paidby said point issuers to said business operator by use of the number ofpoints issued by said point issuing apparatus and the recharged payableamount, said presenting means further presenting the calculated billedamount to said point issuers.
 14. A center apparatus according to claim13, wherein fees to be provided to said point issuers upon addition ofpoints by said point issuing apparatus are deducted from said billedamount calculated.
 15. A center apparatus according to claim 13, whereinsaid adjusting apparatus further comprises history accessing meanswhich, upon gaining access to a storage area of said IC card when saidIC card is used for payment, either writes to or reads from said storagearea a history of any products and services purchased from said businessoperator; and wherein said center apparatus further comprises datamining result providing means for providing said business operator withinformation resulting from data mining of said history acquired by saidhistory accessing means.
 16. A billing apparatus comprising rechargedamount acquiring means for acquiring from an IC card an amount rechargedby a recharging apparatus as an addition to a payable amount stored onsaid IC card, said payable amount being used to acquire either a productor a service; wherein a business operator having installed saidrecharging apparatus is billed for the recharged amount acquired minusfees to be provided to said business operator.